The Burning Lion
by alyssialui
Summary: <html><head></head>Ginny and Neville are in charge of decorations for a Gryffindor party in the courtyard. Ginny/Neville. AU.</html>


_A/N: Ginny and Neville are in charge of decorations for a Gryffindor party in the courtyard. Ginny/Neville. AU. RxR. FxF._

_Submission for:_

_**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry (Challenges & Assignments): **Speed Drabble - "Oh, wonderful. The idiot squad is here". "It's going to fall!", scrambled, Neville/Ginny_

_Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter._

* * *

><p>Neville balanced precariously on the ladder as Ginny handed him the rolls of red and gold fabric. The Gryffindors were having a little party out on the courtyard and the two of them were in charge of decorations. The other Gryffindors were handling refreshments, entertainment and invitations to other students from other houses.<p>

"Hand me some more gold, Gin. There's too much red," Neville said as he fastened to the wooden frame in front of him, hammer and nails in hand. This needed a bit more precision than the banners.

Ginny smiled as she handed him up some more strips of gold. This place was going to look amazing. They had draped all the arches with red and gold from the centre outwards, and wrapped the columns in interchanging colours. Right now, they were working on a large wooden frame of a lion, Gryffindor's mascot, which would be the centrepiece of the whole party. The other Gryffindors would love it. And if they put in the little lights that she wanted, then it would be even better.

Then her face turned into a scowl as she saw who was walking to investigate her and Neville's work. Ginny staged-whispered up to Neville, "Oh, wonderful. The idiot squad is here."

"Watch your mouth, Weaselette. Be happy we came here without burning down the place first," Malfoy drawled as he approached the Gryffindors.

Ginny drew her wand and pointed it at the ferret and his friends, "You wouldn't dare."

Malfoy smirked, "As long as you don't give me a reason to, then your ugly decorations will stay as they are."

He walked about the courtyard, commenting loudly to his friends about their horrible decorating skills. Ginny fumed as she heard Pansy's annoying high-pitched laughter and Crabbe and Goyle's yes-man grunts. Ginny trained her wand on the back of Malfoy's head. One good hit and he would run off screaming with Gryffindor red hair.

A hand was on her shoulder and Ginny turned to see Neville had stepped off the ladder. He came up close and whispered in her ear, "It's not worth it, Gin. Just wait. Bullies eventually get tired."

Ginny blushed as she felt his breath on her sensitive skin and nodded quickly before looking away. She didn't need him to see her blushing.

"What's got you so red, Weasley?" Pansy sneered from across the courtyard.

But Parkinson had seen. Now Ginny's face was red from anger and not embarrassment. She held her wand up again, "I'm having an allergic reaction to your pug-face, Parkinson."

Parkinson glared before turning to Malfoy, "Are you going to let her talk to me that way?"

Malfoy looked between Ginny and Parkinson. Then he smirked and said, "Go on, Pansy. You know I like a good show."

Parkinson smirked before she drew her own wand. "You're going to regret that, Weasley."

"Not as much as I regret not cursing you the first time," Ginny goaded.

Parkinson looked as if she was going to blow up like a balloon before she threw a spell at Ginny. Ginny dove out of the way of the spell as it narrowly missed her shoulder. Neville jumped the other way. They were both safe but the spell had hit the wooden lion. It went up in fascinating and horrific flames, towering above all of them and increasing the temperature. All their hard work down the drain.

There was suddenly the sound of cracking and splintering wood. Ginny looked up at the flaming lion as it swayed to and fro. The Slytherins' eyes widened as Parkinson shouted, "It's going to fall!" They scrambled away from the scene like cowards, leaving the Gryffindors behind.

But now the lion had stopped swaying and was about to fall onto her. She screamed out, closing her eyes and waiting for the burning to begin.

A force knocked into her chest, pushing her out of the way of the crashing ephigy. Ginny opened her eyes to see Neville laying on top of her and protecting her from the flames. He had pushed her out of the way.

He pushed himself up on his hands and used one to brush her hair out of her face. "Ginny, are you ok?" he asked with concern.

She didn't know what came over her. Maybe it was the heat from the still burning lion. Maybe it was the adrenaline from being in danger. Or maybe it was because she had wanted to be in this position for so long: Neville looking down at her with such warm eyes as he gazed up into his round face and those brown eyes. She reached up, put her arms around his neck and pulled his mouth onto hers.

By the time, they pulled apart, the wooden lion was now ashes. Neville blushed as he rose off the ground and helped Ginny up. They looked about the courtyard. The other decorations were still intact and they could quickly replace the lion before the party.

Ginny smiled and grabbed Neville's hand. She gave a kiss on the cheek and he smiled back in response. They could do this together.


End file.
